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Richmond and Adelaide streets have long be discussed as potential homes for bike lanes in Toronto, and a new proposal coming to the Public Works and Infrastructure committee next week is sure to reignite discussion regarding their suitability and traffic flow in the core of the city. The recommendations before the committee call for a pilot project that would involve the installation of cycle tracks (i.e. separated bike lanes) on Richmond and Adelaide as well as Simcoe Street and a short section of Bathurst. This would, in effect, create a loop that cyclists could use to avoid streets with no cycling infrastructure. Standard lanes are also proposed for Peter Street.

Where you can expect some controversy is in the resulting lane reductions associated with the project. That could prove a significant hurdle given that these recommendations have to make it through both the Public Works committee and a vote at city council. There's already an environmental assessment of bike lanes on these streets underway, so the temporary nature of these recommendations might make them more amendable to so called pro-car councillors. If approved, the lanes could be installed as early as this summer.